1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a docking station and an associated method for docking a portable printer within the docking station.
2. Description of Related Art
Salespersons, deliverers, servers, and others are typically faced with time pressures and multitasking that makes efficient transactions important. For example, a deliverer dropping off a package for a customer would like to make a stop, deliver the package, and verify the delivery with the customer as quickly as possible. Similarly, a waitress would ideally like to handle as many customers and tables as possible, which includes processing of the check. Furthermore, salespersons that spend time away from their desk making sales calls generally need both hands to handle multiple tasks, such as talking on a cellular phone, writing messages, using a laptop computer, or even transacting with customers.
Portable printers provide an ideal way to memorialize transactions, such as those mentioned above. For instance, deliverers could print out delivery receipts, salespersons could print sales receipts, while a waitress could process and print the check for a customer. Because of the increased demand for portability, providing a docking station for a portable printer allows the deliverer, salesperson, server, or others to use the printer remotely, as well as to charge the printer, mount the printer, and/or transfer data between the printer and one or more peripheral devices.
For these and other reasons, it would be advantageous to provide a docking station that cradles the portable printer and allows the docking station and portable printer to be easily mobile. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide a docking station that facilitates one-handed docking and undocking of the portable printer. It would also be advantageous to provide a docking station that provides increased protection from potential damage by contact and/or contaminants.